All Things Considered

Commonly referred to as "ATC" and a staple for afternoon commutes, NPR's nationally syndicated afternoon news magazine brings you closer to home with the presence of WAMU's local host.

Since May 3, 1971 All Things Considered has been produced every day from NPR's headquarters in Washington, D.C. Featuring a mix of news, interviews, commentaries, reviews, and offbeat features, "ATC" produces 2 hours of fresh content every day for hundreds of public radio stations around the United States.

Elliott Francis

Local Host, All Things Considered

Francis has worked alongside some of the most influential media executives in the U.S. during his 25 years as a news anchor, including FOX News President and Chairman Roger Ailes, former CNN Executive Vice President Ed Turner, and the founder and former CEO of Johnson Publishing Company, John H. Johnson. In 2002, shortly after joining the ABC news affiliate in Washington DC (WJLA-TV) as the morning co-anchor, Francis was thrust into the rigors of live, non-stop coverage of the DC sniper shootings and investigation, sometimes speaking 8-9 hours unscripted. A skilled interviewer, Francis once convinced singer John Denver to go "on-camera" with details of his upcoming DUI trial.

Monday, January 20, 2014

The long-anticipated Syrian peace conference is again in turmoil. The U.N. secretary-general's surprise decision to invite Iran to attend the conference prompted a boycott threat from Syria's exiled opposition. At issue is the fact that Iran has not publicly committed to the framework for the conference or pledged to withdraw its troops and allied militias from Syria. Under pressure from the opposition groups and the U.S., the U.N. has since withdrawn its invitation to Iran.

Hospitals in rural regions in the U.S. are adjusting to many new requirements under the Affordable Care Act. For those in states that are not expanding their Medicaid roles, that adjustment is even harder. Rural lobbies are pushing these states for the expansion, saying that without it, many of their hospitals could close.

Over the past decade, thousands of mentally ill people have been funneling in and out of the nation's jails, landing in places that are ill-equipped to treat them. Illinois' Cook County Jail has some of the most innovative programs in the country, but staff say it's a far cry from actual treatment.

This week in Iran, international inspectors are stepping up surveillance of the country's nuclear program. The inspections are at the heart of a landmark deal that freezes Iran's uranium enrichment in exchange for billions of dollars in relief from sanctions, but they are just a first step.

Sunday, January 19, 2014

Hiding the redesigned, 50th anniversary Ford Mustang before its official unveiling was no easy task — the photo-hungry car paparazzi were eager for a glimpse. But, like other car companies, Ford has its own "camouflage coordinator" to create a disguise for the vehicle during test drives and trial runs.

Photographer Bill O'Leary's big break came in 1990, the night Washington, D.C., Mayor Marion Barry was arrested during an FBI sting. O'Leary was an intern for The Washington Post, and he suddenly found himself in the right place and the right time to take the perfect shot of the mayor.

Two researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, have looked into "Oscar baiting," making films that are reliable picks for Oscar nods. Along the way, Gabriel Rossman and Oliver Schilke came up with a formula to predict Oscar success. NPR's Arun Rath talks with Rossman, whose paper will be published in February.

On Monday, the nuclear deal between six world powers and Iran officially kicks in. But this agreement is just a first step in a long negotiation process. NPR's Arun Rath talks to Karim Sadjadpour, senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, about what to expect from additional disarmament talks.

This past week, Somali-born actor Barkhad Abdi received an Academy Award nomination for his role opposite Tom Hanks in the film Captain Phillips. The part was his first acting role. Abdi plays a Somali pirate who leads the hijacking of the Maersk Alabama. He spoke with NPR's Arun Rath in October about learning to relate to his character. (This story originally aired on All Things Considered on Oct. 20, 2013.)

According to Bloomberg Businessweek, Rhinoceros horns now sell for more on the black market than cocaine or heroin. Demand from Southeast Asian consumers is primarily to blame. In order to cash in, thieves have begun targeting a different kind of rhino habitat: museums. NPR's Arun Rath speaks with journalist Adam Higginbotham about the so-called "Rathkeale Rovers," a gang suspected of several thefts.

Nick Kroll's sketch comedy TV series, Kroll Show, kicked off its second season this month. One of his signature characters is a seedy, wannabe ladies man named Bobby Bottleservice. Kroll says playing a variety of characters keeps him from being pigeon-holed by his role as Ruxin on the FX show The League.

Some of the earliest science fiction imagined voyages to Mars. We now have the space-faring technology to make reaching the Red Planet possible. It would involve massive resources and many potential dangers, but some believe the rewards would be massive.

Saturday, January 18, 2014

A federal court ruling could spell the end to what's known as "net neutrality." The Federal Communications Commission had tried to prevent Internet service providers from favoring one type of web traffic over another. But the court ruled against the FCC. Consumer advocates say this week's decision could ultimately mean higher prices for your Internet service. Host Arun Rath talks with NPR's Laura Sydell.

The U.S. has been stepping up efforts to encourage international tourism, which represents about 3 percent of the country's gross domestic product. The country's reputation abroad has suffered due to revelations about spying by the National Security Agency. But Brand USA, which is running a new ad campaign, hopes to encourage international tourists to visit the U.S. Host Arun Rath speaks with Michael Scaturro, who wrote about the new campaign for The Atlantic.

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